that they extend their stay to take advantage of other attractions.” As a halfway point between Gettysburg and Winchester, and only 10 miles from Antietam, Hagerstown also honors its place in civil war history. Nicewarner details,“We have a great working relationship with our Convention and Visitors Bureau, and they do a fantastic job in directing those that want to make that circuit from Gettysburg through Antietam down into Northern Virginia. We’re really starting to see the benefits of that, and we want to be able to get more benefit from it.” The city’s strategic plan includes developing more hospitality amenities to complement these attractions. Mayor William McIntire says that the next step is ensuring visitors have more reasons to stay. “We are trying to attract new hotels here, because we do see a huge uptick in the amount of people that are coming,” he maintains. Economic Development Coordinator, Emily Conrad, people want to set out on entrepreneurial ventures. We also have incentive programs that help to drive those types of startup retailers,” she expands. Through a $300,000 state grant, six new or expanding businesses have received up to $50,000 each.These include The Dog House, 96 Royal Beans and Cream, Next Chapter Café and Bookstore, Hagerstown Vintage, Juniper Café, and Summit Outfitters. Each of these adds to the unique charm of the city’s downtown, providing visitors and residents with a memorable and worthwhile experience. TOURISM, SPORTS, AND HOSPITALITY Hagerstown is well known for its outdoor recreation and is gaining recognition as a hub for sports tourism. “We know part of the attendance at the stadium is those that are coming from outside the region to enjoy baseball,”Thompson says.“Also the Hagerstown Field House is providing the opportunity for groups to travel here that were going elsewhere for their tournaments. We hope that those visitors find the other amenities that we have in the community, so 103 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 HAGERSTOWN, MD
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